Crystal Fabricator · 4 minute guide
Crystal Fabricator: Sub-Surface Modeling
Map grayscale height points inside 3D crystal bounds. Align depth, set point spacing, and export millimeter-scaled XYZ, binary PLY, or vertex-only STL point clouds.
By Scott Bedow, Founder & Lead Developer · Published July 4, 2026 · Updated July 31, 2026
Manufacturing manager who runs CO2, diode and MOPA fiber lasers; builds and maintains every Reticle Red tool.
Method — Walked end to end in the live tool before publishing. Screens and step order match the current build; settings shown are starting points to validate on scrap.
What this tutorial covers
- Map grayscale height points inside real 3D crystal bounds.
- Align depth and tune point density for clean sub-surface engraves.
- Exports millimeter-scaled XYZ, binary PLY, and vertex-only STL point-cloud files.
1. Set the crystal bounds
Enter the measured X, Y and Z dimensions and a suitable safety margin. These settings define the volume used to preview and check the point cloud.
2. Load and inspect the source
Upload the front image and add a side view only when that workflow is intended. Adjust grayscale and threshold controls while watching which subject features become points.
3. Choose spacing and depth
Set point spacing and Z-depth scale, then inspect the count and any margin warnings. A sparse cloud may lose detail; a cloud outside the safety margin needs a separate decision before export.
4. Acknowledge warnings and verify the export
Choose PLY, XYZ or vertex-only STL as required by the receiving workflow. Review each applicable sparse-cloud and margin confirmation. Check scale, point count and controller compatibility after import before a physical engraving test.
Validate the workflow on your machine
Treat the finished file as a controlled starting point, not a universal machine recipe. Confirm the artwork dimensions after import, verify focus and lens selection, and run a small test on scrap from the same material batch before committing the production piece. Change one variable at a time when tuning speed, power, frequency, line interval, or pass count. Record the machine, source wattage, lens, material finish, focus method, and final settings with the saved job. That short production note makes the result repeatable for the next operator and prevents a strong screen preview from being mistaken for a proven burn.